Residential school survivors honoured in Saskatoon

While National Aboriginal Day was marked across the country Sunday with celebrations of culture and community gathering, in Saskatoon there was a sombre tone as survivors of Indian residential schools were honoured.

SASKATOON — While National Aboriginal Day was marked across the country Sunday with celebrations of culture and community gathering, in Saskatoon there was a sombre tone as survivors of Indian residential schools were honoured.

Speakers included Ted Quewezance, who was taken from his family at the age of five and shipped to a residential school where he says he was sexually abused.

“I remember the day I was taken away,” said Quewezance, whose voice broke as he talked about the difficulty of reliving the horrors of his childhood.

“There’s that little boy and that little girl in each and every one of us. That little girl and that little boy comes out every once in a while. It’s something that’s very hard to deal with at times.”

Survivors have already received apologies and compensation from the federal government and earlier this year Pope Benedict expressed sorrow for what had happened.